Escaped pet parrots pose ‘real problem’ to native New Zealand birds

Domestic birds are competing for the same food and nest space as natives and can also introduce disease

Exotic parrots are on a non-stop flight to becoming a menace in New Zealand, as pet owners release hundreds of them into the wild each year and, in doing so, put the survival of native birds at risk.

Roughly 6% of New Zealanders own pet birds and an average of 331 of the animals are lost each year; 92% of these are exotic parrots, mostly in the Auckland region, according to the University of Auckland.